PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A Portland Police officer is credited for jumping into a rolling car to stop it from crashing into a glass door with children on the other side, according to court documents.
On Thursday police were working a traffic enforcement mission in Southeast Portland as part of the city’s Vision Zero mission.
Officer Derek Harris and another officer saw a Nissan occupied by Marcie A. Harris and an adult male, according to court documents. The man – whose identity has not been released – was driving the vehicle and Harris was the passenger.
According to police, the vehicle was recklessly headed into oncoming traffic. The officers began to follow the vehicle.
“The Nissan slowed down and both the driver and [Marcie Harris] bailed from the car and fled,” according to court documents. “The driver didn’t put the car in park so the vehicle continued forward over a curb and into a fence as Officer Harris jumped inside the moving car to turn off the ignition before the car plowed into a glass door with kids on the other side.”
Police have not located the driver.
While inside the vehicle to shut off the ignition, Officer Harris saw “piles of mail, mostly financial documents, for a wide number of people,” according to court documents.
Officers learned the driver of the Nissan had been taking mail from several houses and mailboxes, according to court documents.
When police asked her about the situation, Marcie Harris told the officers she was “f-cked” and “going to prison,” according to court documents.
Officers searched the vehicle and found credit cards, gift cards, receipts and bills that were not in her name, according to court documents.
Harris pleaded not guilty to mail theft charges at her arraignment on Friday.